Pierce shines as OC rolls past SW Christian to open softball season

Kendra Pierce had four doubles and 10 RBIs as Oklahoma Christian swept Southwestern Christian in a season-opening doubleheader.

BETHANY, Okla. (Feb. 9, 2013) – Sophomore shortstop Kendra Pierce had four doubles and 10 RBIs and Oklahoma Christian opened its softball season by routing Southwestern Christian 12-0 and 20-2 on Saturday afternoon.

OC (2-0) rolled up 13 hits in the opener against Southwestern Christian (0-2) and added 19 more in the second game on a windy, cool and damp afternoon. Four OC pitchers allowed Southwestern Christian a total of five hits in the two games.

It took a while for the Lady Eagles to start rolling offensively in the opener. OC took a 1-0 lead in the second inning, as Martha Thomas doubled and scored on Michelle Miller’s groundout. The Lady Eagles added another run in the third, with Courtney Starr’s double scoring Monique Elliott.

Then the runs started coming in bunches off Southwestern Christian starter Hilary Kuestersteffen (0-1). OC scored twice in the fifth, three times in the sixth and five times in the seventh, turning a tight game into a laugher.

Left-hander Lindsy Moore (1-0) started and allowed four hits with four strikeouts in four innings. Krystal Rodriguez threw two hitless innings and freshman Danielle Collins contributed a perfect seventh inning.

OC jumped on Southwestern Christian’s game-two starter, Bailey Jones (0-1), for 12 runs on 10 hits in the first inning. The Lady Eagles sent 17 batters to the plate, with Starr delivering OC’s only home run on the day, a two-run blast. Starr finished 6-for-10 with five RBIs in the doubleheader.

Pierce finished 5-for-5 in the second game and 7-for-10 on the day. OC’s Kala Ratliff was 3-for-5 with three RBIs in the second game.

OC pitcher Taylor Mosher (1-0) went the distance, allowing one hit, walking three and striking out six.